So, how do we feel about fan fiction?

[Ieshwar]

I read quite a lot of HP Fanfic and seriously, I love it. When you read a book, you built your own version of its world in your head. Writing and reading fanfic is like sharing that world and for me personally, it's awesome. It's interesting that so many people read the same story, the same words, yet the way they see it is so different.

 

The other day, I was think about "What if Harry was in Slytherin?" as he was supposed to be. I actually thought a lot about it, how the whole story would change. Then, I read a fanfic about it. Throughout the story, I was like "Exactly!" or "I never thought about that." It was so fun, it felt like discussing HP with another HP fan (Awesome!)

 

So you can say that with fanfic, the world you love will never cease to exist. Yay!  

[PTWalden]

Who hasn't read a story and imagined themselves as the lead character, or created another character as part of the story after the reading the tale?  Hello Gary-Stu and Mary Sue and welcome to fanfiction.  

 

Alright, I concede that I am very new here but I am not new to fanfiction or original writing.  Both forms have their own merit.  

 

For me, fanfiction was a step into writing for an audience rather than a professor or as a professional.  I began with OC's - original characters - paired with canon characters and it was a bridge into creating completely new worlds and scenarios. 

 

Yes, there is some absolute DRECK fanfiction.  There are also absolutely wonderful fanfictions.

 

Would I want someone to write fanfiction of my characters?  Yes, and wouldn't that be a marvelous compliment.  Would I be a tad jealous and possessive?  Yes.

[Cia]

I actually think FanFiction writing could be a way for writers to express themselves and practice their writing. I wouldn't put it down if authors want to dabble in it or say, "I only read it, because I'm a beta reader for so and so author." That tone makes it seem like you are STUCK doing something that you don't at all enjoy. I'm sure that author could find better betas for their fanfiction so you wouldn't have to 'lower' yourself and 'waste' your time reading it.

 

 

 

I think we all have our preferences. I'm not a fan of fan-fiction as a reader or author. *shrugs* The author I help already knows that I don't read it and also understands why. They don't think I dislike reading their work and force myself to beta their fan-fiction at all. I'm a reader of one of the worlds they used and can help with authenticity to the series, and the other I hadn't read so mostly gave them info on the writing and their plot on its own. The fact is, a lot of fan-fiction is either written about things I don't watch/read/know so it makes little sense to me or the writing itself is poorly done.

 

I'm not saying those who write fan-fiction can't write well, but I think one interview I read about a 'fan-fiction' story that was revised and published to great notoriety, 50 Shades, sums it up best for me. It was a Twilight fan-fiction that used many of the same elements in the plot slightly revised. My problem with it? The author failed to look at a map, the editor failed to look at a map... and the excuse for the mistakes in setting? "It was a fan-fiction piece originally."

 

That smacks of author laziness. The 'I don't need to verify my facts or research my story elements' because 'I am just going off what I've read and twisting it a little to make it fit what I want' sort of writing ticks me off. I would say it irks me even more than the really horrible pieces some readers come up with because they want to change the story the author had when they don't have basic writing skills.

 

As an author, I don't look down on anyone who wants to write it, if the author is accepting of fan-fiction either. It just doesn't work for me or my writing style. I don't like anyone taking a world I worked hard to create, and characters I have such an intimate connection to when they come alive in my head, for their own purposes. They're mine; I'm selfish that way.

 

I know I may be lumping some really great stories into the massive piles of dreck that I think most fan-fictions belong to, but that's my choice as a reader. I'm not willing to wade through that to find the good stories. I just don't really want to read fan-fiction, so other than the rare instances when it's for authors I know can write, eg the author I beta for, I don't. I re-read some of my favorites series more than once but my reading preference is usually set to 'what can I find that is great and creatively new'. Fan-fiction just doesn't do it for me.

 

As an aside, I thought this CNN article about 50 shades has some interesting thoughts on fan-fiction, including a short bit on gay/lesbian twists of popular fan-fiction sources. 

[PTWalden]

I had not seen that article on Fifty Shades.  Its success is mind-boggling to me.  When all is said and done, it did serve one, dare I say good, purpose:  illuminating the hidden world of fanfiction.  Everyone has their own personal preferences and if fanfiction is creepy to someone, just don't read it.

 

BTW - Anne Rice took legal action to protect her works.  She has Cease & Desist orders out against any and all fanfiction using her worlds or characters, which is her right.  

 

Thanks for the article.

 

PW

Edited September 3, 2013 by PTWalden

[Mark Arbour]

Nope, not a fan. A lot of it either creeps me out, or confuses me when something I know gets 'changed'. I only read it to beta for those of my authors that write it... which is all of one. For myself, it smacks of the opposite of creativity. I wouldn't feel like I could expand the world and characters in a way that feels natural to me when coming up with my own stories. That may be because I write a lot of paranormal/contemporary mixes that I like to take and twist, but fan-fiction just doesn't work for as an author or reader.

 

Despite the reaction you've gotten from some others on this, I thought you explained yourself quite well.  Then again, that may be because I agree with you. 

[iSimba]

I love my fanfiction.

 

If JK Rowling ever tried to stop HP fanfiction I might have to take a plane trip over to England... :3

[Krista]

Good Fanfictions aren't 50 Shades of Grey, and that shouldn't be the standard.  But if it had been an original work, the "laziness" of the author wouldn't have been as frowned upon, I don't think (I mean Meyer gets away with her own laziness). There are mistakes in about every book  I've ever read, grammatically, plot, setting, etc. (J.K had Hermione Granger tell Harry, Ron, and anyone else that would listen that people cannot Apparate/Disapparate onto/off the grounds of Hogwarts, but that still happened in a book, she got away with that obvious mistake) 

 

So to dislike something and write it off as complete author laziness, when it happens in original fiction just as frequently, still rings with a bit of arrogance for me. It is fine to call any author lazy and their editors lazy when something like that happens. Blaring and obvious mistakes should be caught, but some of them aren't... no one is perfect.

 

And there are piles and piles or original fiction that one can lump into tons of shitty piles as well.

 

And truly nice fanficitons have a beginning, middle, and end that is easy to follow or pick up.  It should read like an original work and all references and plot points should still be explained. Even original fiction that has a lot of references, points, and information that isn't explained becomes confusing.

 

What I'm getting at: Don't argue the sloppiness on Fanfictions when original fictions are usually far from perfection as well and base that for a reason you don't read it. To be honest, you're still failing to see your own superior attitude on the topic.

[Thorn Wilde]

(J.K had Hermione Granger tell Harry, Ron, and anyone else that would listen that people cannot Apparate/Disapparate onto/off the grounds of Hogwarts, but that still happened in a book, she got away with that obvious mistake) 

 

I think you'll find that that was explained as part of the plot, actually. That said, here's a list of changes and fixes made to The Order of the Phoenix after the book's original release. Lots of typos and stuff that didn't get sorted before the first edition came out. Sloppy editing, IMO. 

[Celethiel]

well when you really think about it....

All Vampire books are a type of Fan fiction of Bram Stoker's Dracula...

R.A. Salvatore's Drizzt U'rden Books are all Fan fiction of either his own rpg within the Game of Dungeons and Dragons for Farun, or a fan fiction of it. Video game companies and other gaming companies have authorized "fan" fiction published all the time...

World of Warcraft had Arthas (the book)

Dungeons and Dragons litterally had thousands, by R.A. Salvatore, Margeret Weiss... and others...

Elderscrolls Had two books published in between the Games Oblivion and Skyrim which explains the history that happened there in the form of two stories...

Magic that Gathering had a good half-dozen books published...

 

Heck I own and have read some of these books, I own a large amount of R.A. Salvatore's Drizzt Books... (and when I own a book it means I enjoyed it enough to read it again... because I can remember the plot of every book i ever read...)

[JamesSavik]

I don't know how "we" feel about fan fiction. It doesn't excite me that much.

 

It's like any other writing: good, bad, indifferent.

 

I don't write fan fiction. There are only a few "universes" that I know well enough to to write in and, I don't want to expend the time in a universe that I don't own.

 

Yes. I am that freaking arrogant.

[Arpeggio]

I like it, then I don't like it. I love reading Harry Potter fanfiction as long as it's not just "shipping" stories. I can't stand those. I like different perspective stories for sure, like what if the Dursleys loved Harry like a son, or what if he was in Slytherin, etc. I also long for a story about Grindlewald and Dumbledore and their big battle, or the events leading up to Voldemort's rise to power, so I'm constantly on the lookout for some good fanfiction (because I wish there was some legit story) about it. 

 

I also love Star Wars fanfiction. XD One thing I will not read is smut based fan fiction, it's just not my thing. 

[Thorn Wilde]

I would just like to say that I don't find any of you non-fanfiction people arrogant, and I didn't start this topic in order to split us up into people who love fanfic and people who hate it... I was just curious about people's opinions and the reasons behind them. Because I like knowing how people think.

[W_L]

How about reimagining classics with new characters, plots, and ideas.

 

I am a huge fan of the new BSG for its daring moves that reinvents the old series. Modern fiction is filled with reinventions on classics like "Once upon a Time" reinvented fairy tales.

 

Is that fan fiction or original work to reinvent classics?

 

One idea I have been playing with in my head for years is recreating another authors work with their input. In cooking, there is deconstruction, so why not writing?

 

I think a good fan fic must be independent of its source material and seeks ground the original author missed or feared to venture.

Edited September 3, 2013 by W_L

[Thorn Wilde]

To an extent, I think one can definitely say that every remake, spin-off, or reinvention is fanfic of a sort. And what about books based on TV series and films? The BBC publishes Doctor Who novels that are basically just very good fanfic. Aren't there also Star Wars novels? I mentioned Sherlock Holmes pastiches earlier as well, as a form of fanfic that goes back a long time. 

Edited September 4, 2013 by Thorn Wilde

[Mark Arbour]

I've been thinking about this a little more.  Seems to me there are different degrees of FanFic.  I guess my knee-jerk reaction against it (and that's just my personal opinion) tends to think of stories where people take existing characters and simply have them do different things.  That smacks of a lack of creativity, IMHO, because you're not really developing characters, you're just using characters someone else already created.  On the other hand, if you're taking a world and populating it with your own characters, that's a bit different.  Don't all fiction writers do that?

[Thorn Wilde]

I've been thinking about this a little more.  Seems to me there are different degrees of FanFic.  I guess my knee-jerk reaction against it (and that's just my personal opinion) tends to think of stories where people take existing characters and simply have them do different things.  That smacks of a lack of creativity, IMHO, because you're not really developing characters, you're just using characters someone else already created.  On the other hand, if you're taking a world and populating it with your own characters, that's a bit different.  Don't all fiction writers do that?

 

 

I actually think it takes a lot of creativity, not to mention skill, to take already written characters, with personalities and backstories, and making them react to your plot without having them go out of character. If you think it's hard getting your own characters to do what you tell them to, try making someone else's. It also takes a lot of creativity to fill in the blanks often left in the backstories of less major characters in a story. The so called AU or Alternate Universe fic is also very popular, where you keep the characters but adapt them to a different setting. This too is very challenging and requires a lot of creativity.

[Krista]

I've been thinking about this a little more.  Seems to me there are different degrees of FanFic.  I guess my knee-jerk reaction against it (and that's just my personal opinion) tends to think of stories where people take existing characters and simply have them do different things.  That smacks of a lack of creativity, IMHO, because you're not really developing characters, you're just using characters someone else already created.  On the other hand, if you're taking a world and populating it with your own characters, that's a bit different.  Don't all fiction writers do that?

 

There are differences. Some Fanfictions take created worlds, some the characters in an alternative world/setting, some take the plot with their own characters, some do side stories, some make minor characters the main characters, some do odd pairings... etc. I agree that writers that write the same story of the original is lacking in creativity, and I wouldn't like to read a story already written just minor details changing. Truly good Fanfictions have a totally original aspect brought to it. 

 

Not something new, Homer, Virgil, Shakespeare, they were all copied and they all took from others as well.  Any fantasy author that is strict with lore, whether it be Vampire, Faeries, Werewolves, Trolls, etc have taken from established works written before them. One could argue that any story that uses that lore are fanfictions, like you said - although that is wildly accepted.

[Hermetically Sealed]

Can't say I have ever been a fan of fan-fiction, and agree that those pieces I have read came off as either creepy, or just low quality.  Not saying all are, but those I have read were, and pretty much deterred me from reading more.

 

Now, stories which use an established setting (i.e the Star Trek universe, World of Darkness setting, etc.) might pique my interest assuming I like the setting.  However, that's assuming that established characters are either not used, or only incedental to storyline.

[Mark Arbour]

I actually think it takes a lot of creativity, not to mention skill, to take already written characters, with personalities and backstories, and making them react to your plot without having them go out of character. If you think it's hard getting your own characters to do what you tell them to, try making someone else's. It also takes a lot of creativity to fill in the blanks often left in the backstories of less major characters in a story. The so called AU or Alternate Universe fic is also very popular, where you keep the characters but adapt them to a different setting. This too is very challenging and requires a lot of creativity.

 

Hmm.  I don't see the creativity here.  Taking something that's already there and molding it about is, in my mind, more like glorified editing.  But that doesn't mean it isn't good, and that people don't like it.   It just means that I don't think it's creative.

 

Can't say I have ever been a fan of fan-fiction, and agree that those pieces I have read came off as either creepy, or just low quality.  Not saying all are, but those I have read were, and pretty much deterred me from reading more.

 

Now, stories which use an established setting (i.e the Star Trek universe, World of Darkness setting, etc.) might pique my interest assuming I like the setting.  However, that's assuming that established characters are either not used, or only incedental to storyline.

 

I think you expressed my feelings better than I did. 

[W_L]

Can't say I have ever been a fan of fan-fiction, and agree that those pieces I have read came off as either creepy, or just low quality.  Not saying all are, but those I have read were, and pretty much deterred me from reading more.

 

Now, stories which use an established setting (i.e the Star Trek universe, World of Darkness setting, etc.) might pique my interest assuming I like the setting.  However, that's assuming that established characters are either not used, or only incedental to storyline.

 

Taking Star Trek as an example:

 

Star Trek to me has come to mean a paradox in writing. A utopian future based on space exploration, but it also holds dark elements of militarism. It's extremely hard to balance a Utopian vision and a military structure together in one package, which is why many writers fail at writing Star Trek fan fictions or even episodes, wink wink "Enterprise"

 

For me, Star Trek Into Darkness was a fan fiction creation of JJ Abrams, too many rehashed themes from Wrath of Khan. That is a perfect example of what good writers should never do in their writing. (So happy he's moving on to Disney and Star Wars, lol )

 

A classic Star Trek story like, Yesterday's Enterprise, from the TNG era takes classic ideas from the original series, i.e. a war with the Klingons, and push the universe to its limits based on established themes, including a far more militaristic Starfleet. It can easily be fan fiction, but it rises above regular fan fiction, because there's originality.

Edited September 4, 2013 by W_L

[Celethiel]

Well Star Trek i found to be... not possible... not with humans not ever....

 

To Krista's Comment about fantasy, many stories contain things about Orcs which were created by Tolkien almost entirely, and Hobbits definately were... so again... Fan basis?

 

Truth is what we write is based on something that came before... in one form or another most of the time, either it has similar creatures (fantasy, vampires, werewolves so on) similar types of travel (in space exploration...) Similarly things can be new in form as well, or can tweek something into making something new.

To me Fanfiction many times is blatent in it's attempt to make say the Harry potter stories bend to your will.

 

it isn't taking someone's universe and adding new characters into it, or making a substory or a spin off story from it..

But Like making Harry Date Draco, or Hermine a lesbian... although I personally think in the long run she would be better of than with Controling crazy Red head boy...

Edited September 4, 2013 by Celethiel

[wildone]

I have to admit that I tended to shy away from Fanfic in general. I guess there is tons of fanfics that center around Harry Potter and maybe I'm just to old to get it, but I'm not interested in the plot and characters in the original, so what can any author really do to make me interested in their version?

 

The first fanfic that I did read right through was I'm not sure even if if falls into that category. I think it was about a down and out gay teenager, Skyler, who becomes a rock star and then TV and movie star. He has multiple encounters with real life celebrities like Justin Timberlake, the Backstreet Boys, and a bunch of others. I eventually tired of it and gave up. I think it was at Nifty .

 

The next one I broached was actually Krista's Twilight fanfic. I didn't read any of the books, I didn't watch the movies, but reading her story made me interested in the whole Vampire, Warewolf genre. After getting 4 or 5 chapters in where the main character isn't from the series and is gay but interacting with the characters from the original, I was interested enough to actually watch the movies Consider me part of Team Jacob btw .

 

So in this case, Krista's writing made me more interested in the original. Although it is unedited and unbeta'd, I still enjoy reading it.

 

I guess that puts me solidly on the fence. I don't care for HP fanfic, but Krista made me aware of a fanfic that I did enjoy and moved me to look at the original.

Edited September 4, 2013 by wildone

[Krista]

Well Star Trek i found to be... not possible... not with humans not ever....

 

To Krista's Comment about fantasy, many stories contain things about Orcs which were created by Tolkien almost entirely, and Hobbits definately were... so again... Fan basis?

 

Truth is what we write is based on something that came before... in one form or another most of the time, either it has similar creatures (fantasy, vampires, werewolves so on) similar types of travel (in space exploration...) Similarly things can be new in form as well, or can tweek something into making something new.

To me Fanfiction many times is blatent in it's attempt to make say the Harry potter stories bend to your will.

 

it isn't taking someone's universe and adding new characters into it, or making a substory or a spin off story from it..

But Like making Harry Date Draco, or Hermine a lesbian... although I personally think in the long run she would be better of than with Controling crazy Red head boy...

 

I'm saying that borrowing aspects from other pieces of literature has been done a lot. Hobbits and Orcs being developed and established mostly by Tolkein, one could argue that they are then loosely based from his works when someone else comes along and uses them. That would fall into a form of fan fiction, but it's not considered fanfiction, since taking from fantasy lore isn't considered fanfiction by the standards we have adopted, it's just borrowing from literature that has become universally accepted as free to take, no repercussions or someone screaming foul.

 

But say Meyer's vampires become established as lore, sparkly skin and all, and they become universally accepted, they will be up for grabs. It's no different, it's just newer, so her vampires aren't said to be based on lore, but of her own mold for now. It's the overuse that created a fundamental set in stone mold for these fantasy creatures, but the first few times they were used, they were taken from the original fictions.

 

Since Fanfiction is the idea of taking something from the original, then yes, I'd say all of that falls under a type of Fan Fiction. Just like every Romeo/Juliette structured romantic drama. Filmmakers get away with it, but authors are less forgiven.

 

One day Rowling's wizards/witches may become the accepted and adopted mold. And then as long as you don't have a lightning scar marring the face of the main character who happens to be named Harry, you're no longer writing an "accepted" fanfiction.

[Thorn Wilde]

Hmm.  I don't see the creativity here.  Taking something that's already there and molding it about is, in my mind, more like glorified editing.  But that doesn't mean it isn't good, and that people don't like it.   It just means that I don't think it's creative.

 

So, in your opinion, the only thing that requires creativity is the character creation? No creativity at all goes into shaping your plot, writing dialogue, putting characters in new situations?

 

When Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss adapted Sherlock Holmes to the present day, they were not being creative? And a writer who writes the script for an episode of a television series they did not themselves create the main characters for is basically a glorified editor? It's the same process. You invent new foes, new obstacles, new situations. You write new dialogue, new plot points. If you don't consider that to be creative, I don't think I have enough hands to count all the script writers I know of by name (some of whom are also published authors of completely original fiction) who would probably take issue with that statement.

Edited September 4, 2013 by Thorn Wilde

[Celethiel]

*stabs Roweling through the heart with one of her wands and uses another to kill the sparkly vampires of Meyer....* Gods NOooooes!!!

 

I'm saying that borrowing aspects from other pieces of literature has been done a lot. Hobbits and Orcs being developed and established mostly by Tolkein, one could argue that they are then loosely based from his works when someone else comes along and uses them. That would fall into a form of fan fiction, but it's not considered fanfiction, since taking from fantasy lore isn't considered fanfiction by the standards we have adopted, it's just borrowing from literature that has become universally accepted as free to take, no repercussions or someone screaming foul.

 

But say Meyer's vampires become established as lore, sparkly skin and all, and they become universally accepted, they will be up for grabs. It's no different, it's just newer, so her vampires aren't said to be based on lore, but of her own mold for now. It's the overuse that created a fundamental set in stone mold for these fantasy creatures, but the first few times they were used, they were taken from the original fictions.

 

Since Fanfiction is the idea of taking something from the original, then yes, I'd say all of that falls under a type of Fan Fiction. Just like every Romeo/Juliette structured romantic drama. Filmmakers get away with it, but authors are less forgiven.

 

One day Rowling's wizards/witches may become the accepted and adopted mold. And then as long as you don't have a lightning scar marring the face of the main character who happens to be named Harry, you're no longer writing an "accepted" fanfiction.